William G. Gage, who was for many years known as one of Fultonís
successful business men, was born in Madison county February 17, 1823.
His father died when William was an infant and the latter was brought up
among relatives until he was fourteen years old. He learned the tanner's
trade but never followed it. After a while he came to South Hannibal and
engaged in farming and later in the mercantile business in Hannibal. In
1849 he came to Fulton and was clerk for Palmer Kenyon, later with R. T.
Jones, and finally formed a partnership with C. B. Hancock under the
firm name of Gage & Hancock. Later becoming sole proprietor, he
continued until the close of the war. He engaged in flour milling in
1868 with Isaac A. Graves, but soon succeeded to the entire business and
latter associated with D. M. Perrine whom afterward he also bought out.
His next partner was E. J. Carrington. The firm of W. G. Gage & Co.
which is still recognized as one of the first in importance on the
river, was formed in 1874 and comprised William G. Gage, Orin Henderson
and Frederick A. Gage. William died July 5, 1892. Mr. Gage was a man of
firmness and integrity and especially kind and liberal toward all poor
and suffering humanity. He married in 1846 Julia A. Smith of Cambridge,
N.Y., and their children were Florence M. who married Adolphus Bennett
and died in 1879, leaving two children (William G. and Bert W.), and
Frederick A. Gage who married Helen Tucker June 19, 1872, and has one
daughter, Dorothy.